A Growing Family
by crimesolvingshipper
Summary: While Ziva is late into her second pregnancy, Tony is forced to leave the country for an investigation, and he worries about missing the big moment while he's gone.
1. Chapter 1

**~Credit for the idea of this story goes to the lovely Tat. I'm gonna have way too much fun writing it :) Enjoy the first chapter!**

**-Alyssa~**

* * *

The windows of the building let the bright, sunny morning into the bullpen, as the team settles into the office for the day.

The three team members all keep "busy" at their desks, awaiting their fearless leader's return so they can continue the case.

Tony tosses his pencil into the air over and over, attempting to catch it right-side up each time. McGee looks over when he sighs in defeat once more, and squints at the senior field agent. "Tony," he starts, "what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to keep myself occupied, McNosey," he answers as he continues to fling the pencil vertically. "Gibbs said not to go any further on the case, so that's what I'm doing. That's what we're all doing. I'm trying to catch a pencil. You're snooping. Ziva's playing online poker, right hon?"

The men pause and look over at the Israeli, who is leaning very close to her computer screen, studying it intensely.

"My opponent has lost to me five times in a row," she calls to them. "Yet he keeps raising the bet. I am unsure of what he is playing at, but I do not want him to beat me."

Tony turns back to McGee. "She's actually quite good. Won us a few hundred dollars last week."

Suddenly, Ziva jumps out of her chair, her large belly jiggling around as she cheers. "Ha!" She points to the screen. "I knew you were bluffing."

"I guess she just won us some more," Tony says. "Way to go, sweetcheeks!"

The elevator dings, and the gray-haired fox exits swiftly, entering his team's area. They freeze and look to him is he walks through, giving a sideways glance at his pregnant 'daughter', and heading to his desk.

"Did Abby get anything, boss?" Tony chimes in.

Gibbs doesn't reply, instead shuffling through some papers on his desk.

"Boss?" McGee asks hesitantly. "Can we get back to work?"

Gibbs slams a draw of his desk shut as he grabs a stack of files and heads to the stairs. "DiNozzo," he says as he passes. "With me."

The team members look around at one another, confused. Tony looks to Ziva, who merely shrugs at the command, while McGee watches his boss with a look of confusion.

Tony quickly catches up to his boss as he makes his way up the stairs, and heads for the director's office.

"The Director, boss? What's going on?"

Gibbs pushes open the door, and promptly walks past the secretary's desk, charging into the office.

Director Vance stands behind his desk hanging up the phone as the men enter. He looks up upon their arrival. "Did you tell him?" he asks.

"Saved it for you," Gibbs replies as he tosses the files onto the conference table.

Tony's confusion only grows as Vance moves towards the table. "Tell me what? What's going on?"

Vance takes the remote off the table, and points it at the flat screen on the wall. It flashes on, and a man's face appears. "Do you remember this guy, DiNozzo?"

Tony looks up that the screen, and his face softens. "Yeah, that's Tom. Tom Granger, right? Cool guy. Great taste in movies. Used to be an NCIS agent, quit, lives in Vancouver." His eyes flutter up, thinking back in his memory. "Met him about, what, two years ago? The DeVille case? He specialized in knives, helped us identify the weapons. Why, is something wrong with him?"

"We need his help," Gibbs chimes in, opening one of the files on the table. "The markings we found. Abby says they're unique. Like the ones we saw in the DeVille case, but not the same." He flips through a couple pages as Tony analyzes them.

"Turns out we never hired anyone to take his place when he quit last year," Vance adds. "Decided he hated the agency, wanted a normal life."

Tony glances up and looks between his two leaders. "Okay, so you're saying we need his help."

"Yep." Gibbs answers.

Tony looks between the men again. "I still don't know what this has to do with me."

"We called him," Vance says. "Told him we needed his help. He'd only agree to do it on two terms. One: he doesn't have to leave Vancouver. And two," he pauses. "A specific agent from NCIS goes out to him with the photos and paper reports."

Tony absorbs the Director's words for a moment before realizing what he means. "Me?" He asks. "He wants me to take them to him?"

"Guess he likes your taste in movies," Gibbs says as he slides him the file.

"I-I can't go out to Vancouver, Director," Tony argues cautiously. "Not now. Ziv-"

"Agent DiNozzo, if you are about to bring up having a pregnant wife as an excuse not to complete an order made specifically for you, I don't want to hear it."

Tony opens his mouth in protest, but a quick look from Gibbs quickly snaps his jaw shut. After a moment, he shakingly asks, "When do I leave?"

"As soon as possible," Vance answers. "There's a flight to Vancouver out of Reagan in 4 hours, and you'll be on it. I suggest going home and packing light fairly quickly. The sooner we get Granger's evaluation, the quicker we can be done with the case, and you can get back." He pauses and looks Tony in the eye. "That is all."

Tony stands awestruck at the demands suddenly laid on him. Gibbs rolls his eyes and grabs the evidence file off the table, hushing a "C'mon, DiNozzo" as he heads to the doors. Tony moves to follow, but his mind is still processing the event that just took place.

As they leave the office and walk towards the staircase, Tony catches up to Gibbs and stands in front of him. "Boss-"

Gibbs sighs. "Tony…"

"I can't go, and you know it." He looks at Gibbs determined. "Ziva is over 8 months pregnant, and our kid could come anytime now. I can't just leave for a day when Granger can get the information sent to him in an email. It's ridiculous."

Gibbs returns his stoic look, but it softens around his eyes. "DiNozzo, she's fine. You've been through this once, and you'll get through it again. And it's not going to happen today."

Gibbs steps around him and continues to the steps, but Tony quickly catches up behind.

"Boss-"

Gibbs stops and turns around, looking exhausted from Tony's defense. "I'll watch her, DiNozzo. She'll be okay. Do your job."

He walks down the steps, and Tony stands, unable to spur his leader's argument. He glances off to the bullpen, where Ziva is at her desk with McGee, laughing at something on his phone, her smile wide and alive, and his face can't help but pull at the edges of his lips, resulting in a ghost of a smile.

He sighs, unwanting to do what he is told, and dreading the conversation he must have with his wife in the next few minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

"Tony, what is going on?"

He is dragging her by the hand to their 'spot', a little alcove in the curing of the staircase to the bullpen. Upon arrival, and after glancing around for a moment, he gently lets go and faces her looking down, his eyes tired and sad.

"Tony, what happened with the Director?" Ziva asks, her facing narrowing in concern, placing one hand on her husband's arm reassuringly, and the other protectively over her protruding belly.

He sighs, then finally looks up into her deep brown eyes. "I have to leave. In 4 hours."

Her faces narrows more. "What do you mean, you have to leave?"

"For the case," he moves a hand through his hair, making him appear just as distraught as he feels. "Granger. Tom, Granger, the knives expert guy from a couple years back. We need him for the case."

"I still do not understand why this means you must leave."

"He quit last year, remember?" She nods affirmatively. "Well, apparently he doesn't want to come in. He wants to stay where he's at. And he wants the paper files. But he'll only look through it if he gets to talk with me."

Her eyes move around, trying to put the pieces together. "Is this the man that you spent an entire weekend at that old cinema with?"

"The guy liked good movies, what can I say."

She signs now, her face relaxing as she looks up at him. "Go."

He looks at her, face widening in shock. "What?"

"Tony," she begins, "the Director gave you an order. If it is for the case, then you should go." He begins to argue, but she lifts the hand off her belly to silence him. "Ah, ah, ah-no. Let me finish. I know you are concerned because I am getting very close to my due date. And you want to be here. I want you be here as well." A small smile forms on her face. "But I am feeling good, Tony. I do not think it is going to happen in the next couple of days." She suddenly giggles to herself. "I will force my body to at least wait until you get back. Then we can all be there, alright? The whole family. Us, Tali, the baby." Her raised hand falls onto his chest lightly. "Tony, we will be okay."

He moves his free arm as he wraps his hand around the one on his chest. He leans down towards her, and she comes up to meet him, their foreheads lightly touching. "Ziva, are you sure?"

Her other hand moves from his arm to cup his face, smoothing over the small lines age has created. "I am sure. Now," she says, leaning back to look up him. "I assume you have a plane to catch, yes?"

* * *

The plane rapidly flies through the clouds, and Tony watches as the white puffs disappear from his view. Various passengers have their eyes closed and headphones in, other typing away on a laptop or tapping furiously at a gaming device. He knows his phone, iPod, and laptop are available to him as well.

Instead, he reaches into his pocket, and draws out his wallet. Opening it, he flips one of the dividers to reveal a set of pictures; the members of his family. He pulls one out in particular- a small rectangular one that was clearly taken at their home. He stands in front of the fireplace, his wife at his side, as she holds Tali, who was only a few months old at the time. Their smiles shine, allowing the world to see their happiness. And they were happy. Now, two years later, their family continues to grow, and they are still as excited as they were then. He smiles, remembering the day he heard about their second new addition.

* * *

_"Tony, can I talk to you for a moment?"_

_He was sitting on the ground, playing with their daughter, who was completely engaged with a toy duck that quacked when squeezed in the right spot. He looks up at her and smiles. "Hey, you're home! Tali and I were just playing with her new duck." He takes is and moves it around in front of her. "'Quack quack quack' goes Mr. Duck, right my darling daughter?" _

_The little girl squeals and giggles, taking the stuffed animal from her father, waving it around in the air. "Ack, ack, ack!"_

_He laughs and looks up at his wife. "Isn't she adorable? She's so adorable."_

_Ziva smiles down, looking between him and their daughter. "She is very cute. She must get the charm from her father."_

_"Of course. DiNozzo blood." He pauses, thinking back to his wife's entrance. "So, you wanted to talk." He unfolds himself from the ground and rises, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a small kiss. "What's on your mind, sweetcheeks?"_

_She smiles, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Well, you know how we were saying Tali is getting too big for her crib, and we should buy her a bed?"_

_"Yeah, I already got it picked out. Why?"_

_"Well," she answers, smiling up at him. "We need to get her one fairly soon."_

_He returns her smile. "Ziva DiNozzo, are you saying that I am right in this matter?"_

_She laughs, pulling him slightly closer. "What I am saying, is that the crib is going to be needed."_

_For a moment he simply continues looking at her, when suddenly her words register in his mind. His jaw slightly drops, and his grip around her waist tightens. "Ziva, you're-"_

_"Yes, Tony." Her grin widens. "I am pregnant."_

_He lets out a small gasp, then suddenly his face lights up, eyes widening and mouth curving up high. "You're pregnant. Again. You are pregnant."_

_She laughs at his stammering. "Yes, I am pregnant. _Again."

_He lets out a laugh and pulls her towards him into a tight kiss, lasting long and sweet before pulling away. "You're pregnant! Again! Ha! Yah hear that Tali?" He turns to his daughter, who is still occupied with her toy. He rushes over and picks her up, tossing her in the air as she giggles. "You're gonna be a big sister! Weeee!"_

_He catches her as she falls for a last time, and takes her back over to Ziva, who merely stands with her arms crossed, laughing at her husband's silly outburst. He swings one hand around her waist, pulling her in for another quick kiss. "We're having another baby."_

_She smiles, tucking her arm around his back. "Yes. We are having another baby."_

* * *

The smile remains on his face as the pilot makes an announcement, warning of turbulence up ahead. He quietly puts his wallet back into his pocket so as not to disturb his sleeping neighbor. He checks the tightness on his belt before turning to look out the window once more, the clouds still passing by. He closes his eyes, letting the happy memories that have past, and those to come, consume his thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

"Grab your gear."

Ziva and McGee snap their necks up at the boss's voice, as he rises and grabs a set of keys off his desk.

"Boss?" McGee asks.

The day had passed since Tony was sent on his mission. He had landed safely, as reported by Ziva, and was on his way to meet with Granger for a late lunch in Vancouver. The workday was almost at an end, and the team was ready for the night off ahead.

They'd been working at their desks in silence, trying to get any more information on the case or markings, until Tony got back. So far, it had been an uneventful day.

Until Gibbs' phone rang moments ago.

"We got another one," their leader says as he heads towards the elevator.

They stand up and take their backpacks, hurrying behind him as the elevator doors open. McGee enters first, but as Ziva tries to make her way, Gibbs puts up a hand. "Ah," he contests. "You aren't coming."

She stands and crosses her arms over her chest, resting them on top of her stomach. "Did Tony tell you not to let me come on any field work?"

Gibbs just looks at her in defense.

"Gibbs, I am fine. We have been through this before. I will let you know when I do not think I can work anymore, alright?"

He gives her one last look before dropping his hand and letting her pass. She nods in thanks and makes her way inside, turning around to face the door. Gibbs follows suit, and as the elevator dings once more, a small smile appears on his face, and the elevator closes.

* * *

They arrive at the scene, squad cars flashing red and blue on the crime scene tape surrounding the suburban house.

They step out of the car, flash their badges at the officers by the tape, and duck underneath to head into the scene.

As they walk through the door of the house, a voiced calls out to them. "In here, guys!"

They follow the yell, to the room on their left, where the medical examiner is leaning over a body, devastatingly cut up and mutilated.

"Hey, Palmer," Gibbs says to him. "We got another one?"

"Looks to be that way," Jimmy answers, leaning back from the body, perching himself on his heels. "Petty Officer Mario Freed. Age 24. Recently returned home from Afghanistan." His hands move and point to the markings covering his skin. "He was slashed with what seems to be the same knife as our other victim. You see how the blows all come in at a left diagonal? Same as on Petty Officer Lawson."

Gibbs turns to his team members. "Let's get started."

They begin the inventory of the scene, walking around the body, Ziva taking pictures, while McGee picks up and files evidence.

Twenty minutes pass, and the scene continues to be processed. Jimmy has taken the body away, and the only people left in the room are the team.

As Ziva writes the locations of evidence she photographed on a clipboard, her hand brushes the clip at the top the wrong way and it opens, causing papers to fall on the floor all around her.

Gibbs and McGee turn around at the noise

She swears quietly in Hebrew as she slowly squats down to pick up the mess. As she gets lower, two hands grab her arms and try to pull her up. She looks to see her teammates lifting her back to a standing position, and sighs angrily. "I am fine! Just because I am pregnant does not mean I am not able to complete simple tasks, like picking up a few papers."

"Not gonna take that risk, Ziver," Gibbs answers, as he and McGee lean down to pick up the scattered mess.

"Ugh!" she exclaims in response, crossing her arms and standing back, allowing the men to do her job. She looks around while she waits, and notices another piece of paper that had made its way close to where she was. Out of defiance, she quickly looks over at her otherwise occupied companions, and then squats down to retrieve the paper.

As she hovers over the ground, arm outstretched, she begins to lose her balance, rocking back on her heels too far, and lands on her butt on top of the carpet with a _thud_. Gibbs and McGee once again turn at the noise, and see her on the ground. Gibbs shakes his head as he makes his way towards her, McGee following close behind.

"Ziva," McGee says as he leans over with his boss to take hold of her arm to help her up. "Don't worry about the paper. You could have fallen on your stomach. And Tony would have killed us."

She huffs as she is lifted, standing vertically, and shakes off the helpful hands. "Well, Tony is not here, and does not know what I am capable of doing while I am pregnant," she says with certainty, when suddenly her face freezes with realization. She looks down. Her jaw tightens. "Oh."

"What?" McGee asks.

She looks up at him, her face still hard. "What Tony thinks I can or cannot do while pregnant is not going to be a problem for much longer." She looks over at Gibbs, desperation beginning to flood into her features.

Gibbs sees her look, and sighs. "Hell," he mumbles.

"What? Ziva what are you talking about?"

Gibbs glances to McGee with a knowing look, as Ziva looks back down towards her stomach. "Her water just broke."

McGee's jaw goes slack as he looks to Ziva, who finally moves her eyes back up to their level. "I think we need to do two things. One: get me to a hospital. And two…" she pauses a moment. "Call Tony."

* * *

"Oh yes, Sean Connery. The very best James Bond."

The two men laugh at Tony's impersonation of the actor. They sit at a small table outside of a sandwich café in the heart of Vancouver, and as Tony glances down at his watch, he sees they've spent the past half an hour talking about movies. He desperately wants to get to the case, but Granger barely lets him get a word in.

Now that he has caught Granger's attention, he uses it to his advantage, and changes the topic of conversation. "So, Granger," he says as his hand reaches to a file on the table. "Might we begin working on the case?"

Granger scoffs as he takes the file from the agent. "What, you in a rush to get somewhere, DiNozzo?"

"Well, actually…" he begins, but is cut off by the ringing of his phone. He looks down, and when he sees the number, immediately picks up.

"Ziva, hey," he says kindly into the phone. "What's going on?"

"Well," her voice begins, then pauses. "You know how I told that I would not be having the baby anytime soon?"

"Yeah, why-" he stops, realizing what she's saying. "No, you aren't-"

"Yes, Tony. My water broke."

Tony freezes. His wife is in DC, heading to the hospital about to give birth, and he is located on the complete opposite side of the country.

"I'm coming. Have McGee get Tali. Make sure someone is with you the whole time. And Ziva," his voices strains, "keep that kid in until I get there."

He hangs up and stands from his seat, gathering the briefcase he had brought with him. "DiNozzo?" Granger asks, confused. "Where the hell you going?"

Tony looks up at him as he pulls the rental car keys out of his pocket. "My wife is pregnant, she's going into labor, and I am not there. You have the files, you can look over them, give NCIS a call when you figure it all out, alright?" He smiles charmingly, then quickly leaves the table.

"Tony! Hey!" Granger calls out behind him.

Tony ignores the calls and keeps walking, quietly speaking to himself.

"I'm going home."


End file.
